Ignition mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



E. C. WILCOX I J. F. CAVANAGH.

IGNITION MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED IAN. I4, I9Is.

1,204,104. Patented Nov. 7, IIIIII.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I. l :llf- 9 l E I I 3 /I A I I m IE E. CA WILCOX 6I J. F. CAVANAGH.

IGNITION NIECHANI'SIII FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED IAN. I4. I9I6.

III @M9 I Patented Nov. I, 19m. 9 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. :L a

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST C. WILCOX AND JOHN F. CAVANAGH, OF MEBIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE CONNECTICUT TEIEPHONE & ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CON- NECTICUT, A CORPORATIONOF CONNECTICUT. f

IGNITION HECHNISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.`

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. '7, 1916.

ignition apparatus for internal combustionl engines, and particularlyv to the means for controlling t-l'ie timingof the spark and the mounting and assembling of the various parts of the timing and distributing mechanism.

The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the construction of such parts -tlie apparatus that it can'be made so cheaply and can be so easily replaced that an entirely new part fully assembled may be purchased at trifling cost and substituted in place of the old one, without requiring any special skill.

.gain, our new construction providesv a novel method of mounting and adjusting,-

and whereas in constructions heretofore provided the entire timer and distributr head has been made axially adjustable for the purpose of varying the moment of the spark. In this casejthe entire timer head is rigidly mounted, the only moving parts being inclosed and protected. This is of advantage because itsaves wear on the mechanical parts and upon the various electrical connections.

These and other advantages will be apparent to the mechanic skilled the art from a reading of the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1"'is a side elevation partly in section. view theieo on the plane of the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the top Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional A removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of seyeral parts arran ed one above the other inthe order in whic they are applied. Fig. 5 is a section of certain parts on the plane of the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a bushing diagrammatiy which lits into the frame 1.

3 is a lug on the side of the sleeve 2 which projects between two adjusting screws 4 5 carried by the frame 1. By adjusting these screws 4-5, the -relative angular adjustment of the sleeve 2 in the frame 1 may be easily efected. Mounted on the upper part of the sleeve V2 is what we may term the timer housing 6. Mounted on this part 6 is what we may term the distributer lioiising 7. VT his part 7 is ordinarily made of 'some insulating material and xed therein are the distributer terminals 8 8. In this instance the apparatus is designed for a four cylinder engine, and, therefore, has four distributer terminals arranged radially around the housing 7, and a single central terminal 9 in common to all of the vterminals 8 8.

so i

10 is a bushing which is preferably pro- I vided within t-lie sleeve 2 to provide a suitable bearing for the timershaft 11.

12 is a driving gear at the lower end of the timer shat 11. The upper end of theA timer shaft 11 is provided, in this instance,v

mounted for partial rotation in the lower part of the timer housing 6. This timer armV 15 carries the usual contact point 18 at its free end which makes an intermittentl make and break contact with the timer point 19 which is by preference adjustably mounted upon a supporting plate 20 which is likewise mounted upon the carrier plate 17 but is insulated therefrom by the insulation '21. ,v

22 is a ylow tension terminal wire elecioo trically connected with the supporting plate 'I 20 and hence with the vpoint 19. In this inthe cams 14. A

stance the point 18 is grounded. Obviously as the shaft 11 is rotated, the cams will intermittently engage the timer arm 15 and move the point 18 away from the point 19. The usual anti-friction roller 23 may be provided to reduce friction, said roller being carried by the timer arm 15 in the pathof l spring 24 serves to swing the arm 15 in direction to bring the points 18-19 together. Removably fixed upon the upper end of the shaft 11, in this instance above the cams 14, is a. radial distributer arm 25. This arm isusually made of insulating material and carries an electric contact element 26 which'is in electrical connection at all times with the distributer terminal 9, for example, by means of a contact yspring 27. A.The contact 26 preferably does not actually engagefthe lower ends of the distributer terminalsS-S, but sweeps past the same successively and so close thereto that the high tension current which is distributed to the various spark plugs (not means, for example, spring clips 35-35 M shown) may easily jump the gap. The carrier plate 17 for the timer piece or member may be held against improper displacement in any suitableway, for example, it may be centrally supported by a short hub 28 in the bottom of the timer casing (see Fig. 4) and may be held on the bottom of the casing by a washer 29 which is in turn held in place by screws 30-30. Between the washer 29 and the top of the carrier plate 17 we may also dispose, if desired, a spring washer 29a of comparatively thin material, the presence of which washer serves to prevent any binding engagement between the rigid washer 29 and the top of the carrier'plate. Projecting downwardly from the carrier plate is a pin 31, said pin passing through a slot 32 in the bottom of thetimer housing las best seen in Figs'. 4 and 5.-

`33 is a lever pivotally mounted on the underside of 'the timer housing, for example, as indicated at 34. This lever has a slot in its end and engages the pinl 31 so that by swinging the lever 33 the timer element may -be bodilyl rotated in one direction or the other within the stationary housing so that the moment of separation of the spark points 18-19 may be varied to produce an early,

or late spark, as desired. Any suitable may be employed to connect the two parts 6 and 7. u

36 represents an oil or a grease cup which is in communication with the interior of the bushing 10,- whereby the shaft 11 may be properly lubricated. The interior of said bushing may bev provided with a suitable spiral groove or grooves as conventionally shown at 37, Fig. 6, and 'we prefer to'provide a drain outlet 38 to drain off any excessive amount of oil that may tend to creep up into vsaid arm does not shift any shown) thereof, the proper mounting being one that will place the arm 25 atthe top of the shaft 11, in approximately the proper position relatively to the distributer vpoints with which it coacts. If it is-impossible to effect precisely the proper adjustment by the meshing of the gears, any variation therefrom may be compensated or taken up b the adjusting screws 4 and 5. With the apparatus thus mounted, when the engine is running the timer element will be intermit.

tently operated to make and break the connection between the points 18 and 19 for the purpose of determining the timing moment of the spark. This moment may be ad vanced or retarded by swinging the arm 33;

in the proper direction. This swinging of but as before stated, shifts the timer element angularly around the axis of the shaft 11 to the desired degree. Hence, the only place where wear occurs will be either in the timer element itself or in the bearing support therefor. In the event any broken, it is merely necessary to remove the part 7, remove the screws' 30-30 and the washers 29-29a whereupon, by disconnecting the lower end of the wire 22, the entire so slight that it is far better to effectsuch substitution than to attempt to'either repair or replace or substantially readjust any of the parts' thereof. Furthermore, by the `aforesaid construction, these changes may be made by anyone without the exercise of portion of the' Itimer element should be unduly worn or exposed part,

special skill and without the use ofspecial tools. l ,j What we claim is l 1. In an igniter apparatus of the ter described, a timer housing, a unitary timer stationary element mounted therein and bodily removable therefrom and thereon characand comprising a carrier movable relatively to said housing, a contact arm mounted on said carrier and .having a contact point, a second stationary coperating contact point mounted on said carrier and rotatable means for intermittently operating said arm to separate said contact points, with means moment of operation of said cam on said arm.

2. In an igniter mechanism, a stationary timenhousing, a cam shaft projecting thereinto and having a cam arranged therein, a timer element removably mounted in and on said housin and angularly adjustable thereinA relative y thereto fand to said cani shaft, and means yarranged externally of said timer housing and mounted independently of said timer element for shifting said timer element.

'3. In an igniter mechanism, a relatively stationary timer housing, a relatively stationary distributer housing carried thereby and having distributer terminals, a cam shaft having a cam projecting into the timer housing, a radial distributer arm carried by said cam shaft and projecting into saiddistributer housing, a timer element mounted within and on said timer housing and including a carrier having a passage of sufcient size to'permit said cam to pass therethrough, a movable contact arm mounted thereon having a contact point, a relatively stationary contact point also mounted on said carrier, said interrupter element being adjustable relatively to said stationary timer housing and distributer housing, and means mounted on the outside of said housing and projecting into the same for adjusting said interrupterelement, and means for adjustin the stationary timer housingand distri uter housing relatively to and around the axis of said cam shaft.

. 4f. In an igniter -mechanism, a relatively stationary distributer part including at least two terminals, a rotatable distributer arm including a contact adapted to intermittently closeathe circuit between said terminals and including a rotatable shaft, a timer housing surrounding said shaft and a timer element .inclosed 1n said housing and mounted thereon, said timer element being rotatablyz adjustable relatively to said housing, said housing being relatively stationary, with means mounted independently of said timer element and outside said houseletwo ing Afor rotatably shifting said timer ment, said timer element includin l make and break contacts, one of which at stationary with means least isinsulated from said timer element and said housing.l j j 5. Inan igniter mechanism, a' relatively for rotatably adjusting the saine relatively to a fixed part, a shaft projecting into said housing, a radial distributer varm carried vby said shaft within said housing, a

cam carried by said shaft `within said housing, said two' housings being separable, a partially rotatable timer element removably mounted within and on said housing and intimer and distributer housing,-

cluding a carrier, a contact point carried thereby and stationary relatively thereto and another coperating contact oint carried thereby and movable relative y thereto, and means for moving said last mentioned contact ointthrough the medium of said cam andj said timer element and external of said housing for moving said contact element in said housing to vary the moment of operation of said cam on said movable point.

6. In an igniter mechanism, a stationary housing', timer and distributer mechanism arranged within the housing, a cam shaft having a cam entering the housing and cooperating ivith said mechanism, said timer mechanism including a removable carrier having a passage of suic'ient size to permit said carrier to be 'passed over said cani and mounted for partial rotationwithin the stationary housing, with means in said housing :tor centering said carrier, an operating member mounted externally of said housing and independent ofsaid carrier, and means for detachably connecting said carrier with said operating member, said timer mechanism being wholly mounted on said housing independently of said cam shaft.

7. In an igniter mechanism, a stationary housing, timer and distributer mechanism arranged within the housing, a cam shaft entering the housing and coperating therewith, said timer mechanism including va removable carrier mounted for partial rotation Within the stationary housing, an op-V erating member mounted externally of said housing, and means for`detachably connecting'said carrier with said operating member, comprising a pin carried by one of said parts, said housing having a clearance slot 'for said pin and a recess in' the other part meansmounted independently of 8. In an igniter mechanism, a stationary housing, timer and distributer mechanism arranged within the housing, a cam shaft entering the housing and coperating therewith, said timer-mechanism including a removable carrier mounted for partial rotation within and on the stationary housing, an operating member mounted independ- -ently of said carrier and externally of said housing, and means for-detachably connecting said carrier lwith said operating member, said timer mechanism mounted on said carrier comprising a pivoted arm carrying a contact point, and aV stationary arm carrying another contact point, said stationary arm being insulated from said carrier.

9. In an igniter mechanism, a stationary housing, timer and distributer mechanism arranged within the housing, a cam shaft entering the housing and coperating therewith, said timer mechanism including a removable carrier mounted' for partial rotation within and on the stationary houslng,

an operating member mounted externally of carrying another contact point, said stationary arm being insulated from said carrier, a terminal wire electrically connected with said stationary arm and extending outside `of said housing, clearance passage therefor of'suiiicient size to permit said terminal wire t0 be moved freely with said carrier as the latter is shifted in said housing.

l0. In an igniter mechanism, `a stationary housing, a mounting therefor, a cam shaft arranged to project into said housing, means for angularly adjusting 'said housing relatively to the axis of the cam shaft to various fixed positions, timer and distributer mecha.- nism within said housing, said distributer mechanism including a lstationary distributer point, and a rotatable distributer point carried by said camshaft, said timer mechanism including a removable carrier rotatably mounted within and on said housing and having "one contact point stationary thereon but movable therewith relatively to said housing, and a second contact point thereon movable with relation to both the carrier and the housing, with a cam on said shaft for moving said last contact in one said housing having a I the housing, a

direction, and with means mounted indei pendently of said carrier and outside of said housing for moving said carrier and its contact points angularly around thev axis of said cam shaft to vary the moment of operation of the cam on said last mentioned Contact points.

1l. In an ignition mechanism, a housing,-

12. In an igniter mechanism,'a main support, a relatively stationary timer and distributer housing mounted'thereon, an adjusting screw means between said support and housing for angularly adjusting said parts, a timer element removably mounted within said housing and rotatably supported therein,

cam shaft entering the housing coperating with the timer and distributer elements and means mounted independently of said timer element and external of the housing element relatively to said housing.

ERNEST C. WILCOX. JOHN F. CAVANAGH.

for shifting the timer a distributer element within 

